MONROE — Main Street Monroe, Inc. has been designated as an Accredited Main Street America program for meeting rigorous performance standards. Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of Accredited programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach.
“We are extremely proud to recognize this year’s 863 nationally Accredited Main Street America programs that have worked tirelessly to advance economic vitality and quality of life in their downtowns and commercial districts,” said Patrice Frey, President & CEO of Main Street America. “During another incredibly challenging year, these programs demonstrated the power of the Main Street movement to respond to the needs of their communities. I am inspired by their steadfast leadership and innovative solutions to drive essential local recovery efforts, support small businesses, and nurture vibrant downtown districts.”
In 2021, Main Street America programs generated $5.76 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,601 net new businesses, generated 30,402 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 10,595 historic buildings, and leveraged 1,427,729 volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support their operations, it generated $19.34 of new investment back into Main Street communities.
Main Street Monroe’s performance is annually evaluated by the state of Wisconsin’s Main Street Program which is the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). WEDC works in partnership with Main Street America to identify the local programs that meet rigorous national performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building meaningful and sustainable revitalization programs and include standards such as, fostering strong public-private partnerships, supporting small and locally owned businesses, and actively preserving historic places, spaces, and cultural assets. Currently, fewer than half of the state’s 35 programs are nationally accredited.
Main Street Monroe is currently in its 17th year as a 501(c)3 nonprofit. It has been nationally accredited consecutively since 2015. That is the year current director, Jordan Nordby, started. For this most recent year, Main Street Monroe, which is volunteer driven, reported over 1,100 volunteer hours. This equals more than $33,000 worth of donated time. Nordby is the only paid staff person. In 2021, volunteers were present at all 46 events Main Street hosted in person and virtually in addition to the 56 farmers market days it also operates.
This accreditation covers the second year of Main Street’s pandemic support efforts. Total efforts hit $125,000 raised for local businesses through virtual LIVE! shopping nights and a Share the Love Gift Certificate Program of which Main Street provided matching funds for purchased gift certificates. Main Street has welcomed multiples new businesses to the district and also assisted with and supported over $250,000 of small business grants since the start of the pandemic in Monroe.
“Every year the Accreditation provides us a framework to continue growing and helps highlight what needs to be focused on. The past year has been one of the most challenging, but also the most rewarding. I’m very excited that we have once again achieved the highest standard in our work,” said Nordby.
Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. For more than 40 years, Main Street America has provided a practical, adaptable, and impactful framework for community-driven, comprehensive revitalization through the Main Street Approach. Its network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development.
Since 1980, communities participating in the program have leveraged more than $95.33 billion in new public and private investment, generated 161,036 net new businesses and 717,723 net new jobs, and rehabilitated more than 314,431 buildings. Main Street America is a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit mainstreet.org.